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Questions & Answers about Sem o colete refletor, o voluntário não pode trabalhar perto da estrada.
Why is there a definite article o before colete refletor? Can’t I just say Sem colete refletor?
Portuguese prepositions like sem can appear with or without an article, but adding o makes the noun specific.
- Sem o colete refletor implies “without the (specific) reflective vest that is required.”
- Sem colete refletor is more general (“without reflective vest” in a generic sense).
Both are grammatically correct, but the version with o is more idiomatic when referring to the particular vest someone must wear.
What’s the difference between colete refletor and colete refletivo? Are they interchangeable?
Both forms describe a vest that reflects light, but there’s a subtle usage preference:
- Colete refletor is a compound noun (“reflector vest”), common in European Portuguese, especially in technical or safety contexts.
- Colete refletivo uses refletivo as an adjective (“reflective vest”) and is perfectly understandable.
In practice, colete refletor appears more often on signage and in official texts in Portugal.
Why is the verb order pode trabalhar and not trabalhar pode?
Portuguese syntax for modal verbs requires the conjugated verb first, then the infinitive:
- Subject (o voluntário)
- Modal verb (pode)
- Main verb in infinitive (trabalhar)
Trabalhar pode would break this rule and sound ungrammatical.
Why is it não pode trabalhar instead of simply não trabalha?
- Não pode trabalhar means “he cannot (is not allowed or is unable to) work,” emphasizing inability or prohibition.
- Não trabalha would translate as “he does not work,” a neutral statement about his activity without specifying why.
Could we say não consegue trabalhar instead of não pode trabalhar?
Yes, but the nuance changes:
- Não pode trabalhar often implies “he’s not permitted” or “he lacks a condition (vest) to do so.”
- Não consegue trabalhar suggests “he is incapable” or “he fails to manage” the work.
In your sentence, the prohibition/requirement sense makes não pode trabalhar the better choice.
Why is perto da estrada used? What about perto de estrada or junto à estrada?
- Perto da estrada uses de + a = da to mean “near the road.” It’s the most neutral way to express proximity.
- Perto de estrada (without article) sounds odd if you mean a specific road.
- Junto à estrada (“right next to the road”) is also correct but implies even closer proximity than perto da estrada.
Why is estrada feminine? Can it ever take o as an article?
Nouns in Portuguese have fixed grammatical genders. Estrada is always feminine, so it pairs with a or da.
- A estrada / da estrada
Trying o estrada would be incorrect.
How would the sentence change if the volunteer is female?
All gender-marked words agree with the subject. For a female volunteer:
“Sem o colete refletor, a voluntária não pode trabalhar perto da estrada.”
You only change o voluntário to a voluntária; colete refletor and estrada remain as they are.
Should there be a comma after voluntário, as in o voluntário, não pode trabalhar?
No. In Portuguese, we don’t separate subject and verb with a comma in a simple clause. You only use commas to mark additional or parenthetical clauses, not to isolate the verb from its subject.